Packet construction



1958 T. F. WINTERS ETAL 2,863,463

PACKET CONSTRUCTION Filed NOV. 2, 1955 PACKET CONSTRUCTION Thomas F. Winters, Evergreen Park, and James J. Lavin, Chicago, Ill.

Application November 2, 1955, Serial No. 544,428

2 Claims. (Cl. 132-735) The present invention relates to an improved packet construction possessing fingernail-grooming features.

The common paper packet, such as the match packet, has continuously remained in widespread use for many years, both for its inherent utility and also for its ability to function as an advertising medium. The match packet is an inexpensive item aflording an excellent meth od for repeatedly presenting advertising material to the user of the same.

it is an object of this invention to provide a packet construction which, because of its novel utility, will be retained by the owner thereof even after the matches or other articles contained therein are exhausted, enabling the packet to function indefinitely as an advertising medium.

It is another object of this invention to provide a packet construction which, although simple in design, has a portion which may be utilized for cleaning fingernails.

It is another object of this invention to provide a packet construction having a portion which may be utilized for filing and shaping fingernails.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a packet utilizing a retractable nail cleaner which may be safely carried in pocket or purse without any danger of tearing or ripping surrounding material.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a packet construction which is inexpensive and readily fabricated.

It is another object of this invention to provide novel nail-grooming features for packet constructions in general whether containing matches, tissues, etc.

The above and other objects will become more apparent from the following description, accompanying drawings and appended claims.

in one embodiment of the invention, a match packet construction is provided comprising the usual flexible cover member having a folded over end portion defining a retaining flap for receiving and securing the oppositely disposed free end limit of the cover in place. The retaining flap has a match strike strip disposed on its outer surface, in addition to retaining the cover distal end limit in place when the packet is closed, and also houses the match strips to which the individual matches are detachably secured. A securing means, such as a staple or rivet, maintains the retaining flap and match strips in assembled relationship. A nail-cleaning means comprising a projecting member of rigid material, such as plastic or metal, is also pivotally mounted within the retaining flap by means of the same match strip securing means and projects from the flap through a recessed packet portion. For shaping the nails, a coating of suitable abrasive is secured to the outer surface of the cover portion oppositely disposed to said retaining flap.

For a more complete understanding of this invention reference should now be had to the drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a match packet constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention;

nited States Patent 2,863,463 Patented Dec. 9, 1958 away, of the match packet illustrated in Fig. 1 and on an enlarged scale thereover; and

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of a second modified form of match packet construction.

Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to Fig. l, a match packet 16 of familiar basic design is illustrated comprising a flexible cover 12 composed of paper, plastic or other similar flexible and cheap material. One end portion of the cover 12 is folded over at 14 so as to define a retaining flap 16. This latter flap functions to engage the free end limit 18 of the cover 12 between the inner surface of the retaining flap and the opposed portion of the cover 12. Fine abrasive material is aflixed to the outer surface of the retaining flap 16 so as to form a strike strip 20 which is utilized in the lighting of the safety matches contained within the cover.

As will be more clearly seen from Fig. 3, matches 22 are detachably secured at their lower end limits to match strips 24 which are positioned between the retaining flap 16 and the oppositely disposed portion of the cover member 12. To fixedly secure the match strips in such relative disposition, a staple member 26 or other equivalent securing means traverses the retaining flap 16 and emerges from the oppositely disposed portion of the cover 12 after having traversed each of the match strips 24. It is thus seen that a match packet construction in which the matches are secured relative to the cover is readily provided. Such structural features, above described, are old and well known in the art.

The improvement provided by this invention comprises nail-grooming means incorporated within the abovedescribed match packet construction which require a minimum of packet design modification. The first nailgrooming means incorporated in the illustrated match packet comprises a nail-cleaning member 23 which may be of substantially triangular configuration and which is stapled at one end portion to the provided match packet construction in a position interposed between the inner surface of the retaining flap 16 and the outer surface of the match strips 24-. The nail-cleaning member 28 is pivotally mounted and, as illustrated in Fig. 1, when not in use, may be retracted into the match packet construction as illustrated by the solid line figure, and thus is prevented from catching or tearing pocket linings, in-

teriors of purses, etc. When in use, the member 28 is pivotally moved into the dotted line position, whereupon it may be readily utilized as a member for cleaning fingernails.

As will be noted from Figs. 1, 2 and 5, the match packets have a corner portion removed at 32 to enable the distal working portion of the nail-cleaning member 28 to be readily withdrawn from the packet construction. By removing the corner portion as at 32, the nail-cleaning member 28 is enabled to pivotally move through a large arc, facilitating engagement of the fingernails and the member 28 in the course of cleaning. It is apparout that a simple one stroke cutting operation will remove the packet corner 32 in the course of manufacture.

In an alternate match packet construction for providing area in which the nail-cleaning member may arcuately move, an arcuate recess 34 may be cut into the bottom portion of the match packet construction lltla illustrated in Fig. 6. When not in use the nail-cleaning member may be readily pushed between retaining flap and match strip surfaces and remain frictionally secured thereto. If

use of the nail-cleaning member 28 is desired, the thumb and forefinger proceed into the recess 34, engage the member 28 and pivotally move the same into the dotted line position. It is apparent that arcuate recesses of other design and disposition formed in the packet strike plate area Will function to equal advantage.

Although it is obviously most economical to use the same stapling or other securing means both for maintaining the match packet components in assembled relationship and also for pivotally mounting the nail-grooming member 28 in accordance With the construction illustrated in Figs. 5 and 1, it may be desirable in some instances to employ a separate means, such as a rivetlike member 30 or other equivalent securing means illustrated in the modified match packet 11, depicted in Fig. 2, for purposes of securing the nail-grooming member 28 to the match packet. It will also be noted from Fig. 5 that the pointed end limit of the member 28 preferably projects beyond the underlying match strips 24 so as to be readily engaged when desired.

A second nail-grooming feature to be incorporated in the provided packet constructions comprises an abrasive strip 36 which is adhesively secured to the match packet cover portion oppositely disposed to the retaining flap 16. The abrasive particles comprising the strip 36 are such so as to readily cut or file a fingernail of a person using the same. The person using the abrasive strip 36 need only hold the packet in one hand and reciprocally move the nail to be groomed over the strip. By positioning the strip 36 on the packet cover portion oppositely disposed to the retaining flap, bending of the strip is obviated, since the match strips and retaining flap function as reenforcing means.

It is thus seen that a match packet construction has been provided which incorporates two novel nail-grooming means While necessitating a minimum of additional manufacturing steps. The nail-cleaning member 28 is preferably composed of rigid plastic and may be composed of thin gauge metal or other material having the desired properties. It is apparent that, except for the nail-cleaning member 28 and the nail abrasive 36, no additional component need be employed in the ordinary match packet construction.

Although the above description and the illustrated figures refer to a match packet, the inventive principles embodied in the nail-cleaning member and nail-abrading means are equally well adaptable to similar disposable packet constructions of paper, plastic, etc., housing articles other than matches. It has been made apparent from the various embodiments above described that many modifications of the illustrated match packet may be made which will remain within the ambit of the inventive principles above disclosed. This invention is to be limited, therefore, only by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a packet construction, the combination comprising a flexible cover, a folded over cover end portion defining a retaining flap for the remaining cover free end limit, strip means disposed in said folded over cover end portion, securing means afiixing said strip means in said folded over cover portion to said cover, nail-cleaning means pivotally engaging said securing means, and abrasive means for filing fingernails disposed on said cover portion exterior surface oppositely disposed to said retaining flap.

2. In a packet construction, the combination comprising a flexible cover, a folded over cover end portion defining a retaining flap for the remaining cover free end limit, strip means disposed in said folded over cover end portion, a corner portion of said folded over cover end portion and said interposed strip means being beveled, nail-cleaning means pivotally mounted in said folded over cover end portion, the end portion of said cleaning means being arcuately movable and projecting from said folded over cover beveled corner portion, and abrasive means for filing fingernails disposed on said cover portion exterior surface oppositely disposed to said retaining flap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,641,263 Friedman Sept. 6, 1927 1,773,770 Adam Aug. 26, 1930 2,303,986 Carvos Dec. 1, 1942 2,551,700 Pinco May 8, 1951 2,559,156. Hewes July 3, 1951 2,630,212. Mosch Mar. 3, 1953 

